Trailer-coupling for wagons.



G. C. WEST.

TRAILER COUPLING FOR WAGONS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 2a, 1918.

1 $393,275 9 Patented Feb. 1, 1919.

I STATES Pr m orricn.

GLEN 0. WEST, OF ASHKUM, ILLINOIS.

TRAILER-COUPLING FOR WAGONS.

Application filed May 28, 1918. Serial No. 237,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLEN C. WEST, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ashkum, in the county of Iroquois and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trailer-Couplingsfor Wagons, of which the following The invention has as a further objecttoprovide a coupling adapted for connection with the tongue of a wagonto be tralled and wherein the swinging of the tongue of the wagonleading in either direction will cause the tongue of the wagon beingtrailed to be swung in the opposite direction for thus properly guidingthe wagon being trailed in the path of the wagon leading.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a couplingwhich may be readily employed in connection with substantially anyconventional type of farm wagon.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds. Inthe drawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of theinvention, and wherein similar reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing my improved trailer coupling inconnection with a conventional type of farm wagon,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view more particularly illustratingthe mounting of the coupling upon the wagon, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1,and particularly showing the bearing keeper for the coupling arm of thedevice.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have shown my improvedcoupling in connection with a conventional type of farm wagon includingfront and rear axles 10 and 11 respectively which are joined by thereach pole 12. ecured to the front axle 10 are the front hounds 13connected at their inner extremities by a cross bar 14. Secured to therear axle 11 are the rear hounds 15 joined at their inner extremitiesSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

by a guide 16 receiving the reach pole therethrough.

1 Comin now more particularly to the subect of tie present invention, Iemploy a fixed segmental rack bar 17 provided at its ends with laterallyand inwardly directed attaching lugs 18. These lugs seat flat againstthe inner edge of the cross bar 14: for the front hounds of the wagonand are connected with the said cross bar by bolts or other suitablefastenin devices for thus rigidly securing the rack %3.I upon the saidcross bar to lie in a plane therewith beneath the reach pole. Bracingthe rack bar intermediate of its ends with respect to the cross bar 14are suitable braces 19. Mounted to extend transversely between the innerends of the rear hounds 15 of the wagon, is a bearing guide 20 in thenature of a rectangular frame provided at its upper corners withlaterally directed lugs 21 seating beneath the said bounds and connectedtherewith by bolts or other suitable fastening devices 22. Extendingthrough this bearing guide and journaled thereon is a coupling arm 23pivoted upon the guide by a pin 24 extending through the reach pole 12of the wagon, through the frame of the said guide and through thesaid-coupling arm. This pin may be secured in any a proved manner as bya cotter pin. Tie coupling arm is thus mounted to rock within thebearing guide and at its rear extremity projects beyond the rear wheelsof the wagon and is preferably equipped at its outer end with a lip 25to which is connected a chain 26 carrying a suitable hook 27. Mountedupon the inner end of the said arm is a segmental rack bar 28 supportedat its ends with respect to the bar by suitable brace members 29.Journaled between the rack bars 17 and 28 and c0- operating therewith isa pinion 30 supported beneath the reach pole 12 of the wagon by a stubshaft or bolt 31 extending through the said pole. Thus it will be seenthat when the front hounds 13 of the wagon are swung in one direction,the pinion 30 will be rotated to swing the outer extremity of thecoupling arm 23 in the opposite direction.

In use the hook 2-7 of the chain 26 at ,the outer end of the couplingarm 23 of h tongue of the wagon lea ing, which tongue v has, forconvenience, been indicated by the numeral 34, is swung to the right,the outer end of the coupling arm 23 will be swung.

to the left so that the tongue 32 of the wagon being trailed willaccordingly also be swung to the left for directing the wagon beingtrailed around the curved course taken by the wagon leading or in thepath of the leading wagon. 0n the other hand, should the tongue 34 beswung to the left, the outer end of the cou ling arm 23 will then beswung to the rig t for accordingly also swingin the, tongue 32 of thewagon being trailef-to the right. In this latter instance, the wagonbeing trailed would thus also be directed in the path of the lead-i weon. I, therefore, provide a articulary. e cient type of trailer coup ngand, as will be seen, a construction which may be employed in connectionwith substantially any conventional type of farm wa on; However, I donot wish to be limited in this regard as my improved coupling may alsobe used with equally effective results upon various other kinds of roadvehicles.

Having 'thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a vehicle having front hounds mounted to swingwith the front axle of the vehicle, and a reach pole, of a trailercoupling for the vehicle including a segmental rack bar connected withthe front hounds of the vehicle, a coupling arm pivoted upon the saidreach pole, a segmental rack bar carried by the said arm, and meansbetween the said rack bars and coacting therewith for swinging thecoupling arm from the front hounds of the vehicle.

2. The combination with a vehicle having front hounds mounted to swingwith .the front axle of the vehicle, and a reach pole, of a trailercoupling for the vehicle 3. The combination with a vehicle hav-.

ing front hounds mounted to swing with the front axle of the vehicle,rear hounds, and a reach pole of a trailer coupling for the vehicleinclu ing a segmental rack bar connected with the front hounds of thevehicle, a bearin guide mounted upon the rear hounds of t e vehicle, acoupling arm received through said guide, a pivot pin extendin throughthe 'de and the said arm an sup orting t e arm to swing within the guie, a segmental rack bar carried by the said arm, and a pinion supportedfrom the reach pole between said rack bars to coact therewith forswinging the couplin arm from ,the front hounds of the vehicfe.

.4. The combination with a vehicle having front wheels adapted to beswung for guiding the vehicle, of a trailer coupling for the vehicleincluding a coupling arm pivoted upon the vehicle, a rack baroperatively connected with the front wheels of the vehicle to be swungtherewith, a rack bar carried by the forward end of said arm, and meansbetween the rack bars and coacting therewith for swinging the couplingarm coincident with the movement of the front wheels of the vehicle.

5. The combination with a vehicle having front wheels adapted to beswung for aiding the vehicle, of a trailer coupling for the vehicleincluding a coupling arm pivoted upon the vehicle, and a gear connectionoperatively coupling the front wheels of the vehicle with said arm forswinging the arm coincident with the movement of said wheels.

In testimony whereof, I aifix my signature.

GLEN (INVEST. 1,. s.]

